Dog coats - just the latest craze?
We’ve all seen dogs in coats by now - it’s 2023! They’re all over the park, all over instagram, and you can buy them in most shops that stock pet supplies - and yet, not everybody is so keen to hop on board the train of coat-wearing-pets. Today I want to talk a little bit about dog coats, giving my personal and professional perspective on them as well as information about all things coat!
Dolly and Rocco playing in the snow, in temperatures below zero. Both are wearing different types of Equafleece Dog Suit - Dolly (left) is wearing an original Dog Suit, and Rocco the T-Shirt Suit.
First off, I want to say that generally speaking, I’m pro-coat. In my view, the decision to put your dog into a coat should be made on a case-by-case basis, and a number of factors should be taken into account. Things such as age, breed, size, and health should all be considered, and in some cases you may find that although you know it would be super cute from our perspective, your dog may well be fine without a coat. It also goes without saying that they should always be used appropriately based on the weather and temperature conditions! However, overall the potential benefits of wearing a man-made coat cannot be ignored.
“Over hundreds and sometimes thousands of years, we’ve bred dogs to every extreme to serve highly specialised needs, and only within the last century have we begun to move away from using dogs for work, and towards dogs of all breeds living as family pets….it’s our responsibility as the makers of these dogs of all types to change our understanding of their needs in relation to how they now experience the world.”
For dogs that are very young or very old, have thinner hair or less body fat, have health issues, or are from a warmer climate, a coat can be a major problem-solver. One type of dog that you will frequently see decked out in a coat is the lovely greyhound - these gentle giants have powerful muscles attached to long, thin bodies, and it’s easy to see just by looking at them how they can quickly become cold in the winter!
I think something important to keep in mind is the fact that in the modern age where probably around 80-90% of dogs in the UK are household pets, the jobs and activities that used to sustain them in days gone by are now irrelevant. For example, sighthounds when used for hunting would be sprinting through all sorts of conditions to chase down their prey, and the use of their explosive muscles in this way would be enough to keep them at a reasonable body temperature while out and about in colder months. Nowadays, you’ll often spot a nice greyhound trotting down the street on-lead, and so not using their body in the same way as they once would have. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, it just bears thinking about. Over hundreds and sometimes thousands of years, we’ve bred dogs to every extreme to serve highly specialised needs, and only within the last century have we begun to move away from using dogs for work, and towards dogs of all breeds living as family pets. Again I say there’s of course nothing wrong with this change, however I feel that it’s our responsibility as the makers of these dogs of all types to change our understanding of their needs in relation to how they now experience the world. Essentially - we made greyhounds, so now we need to recognise that they get cold sometimes! This thought-process applies to many other breeds, and dogs of all types dependent on the other factors mentioned previously.
Bonnie in an Equafleece Dog Suit on a cold, muddy day.
Another thing to consider is the different coat options available. You can find pretty much any type of coat you might imagine these days, some certainly more fashion-focused than practical, but different coats can also serve different purposes for different dogs. For example, for dogs that have a good coat of their own but for whatever reason are fussy about going out in the rain, a straight-forward water-repellant coat that just covers the back could be helpful even just for going out into the garden on a rainy night. For dogs with mobility issues or stiff joints, the all-over body suits could help to keep those joints warm on a chilly day, and can also provide an additional layer of padding against mobility apparatus. Coats can also be a great tool for visibility for dogs with darker coats in dim lighting, or dogs who blend in to their surroundings at any time of day. It may seem silly on the face of it, but each of these can serve a practical purpose.
Moo and Crumbs modelling their new Equafleece Tankies as temperatures began to drop towards zero!
As a dog walker, I see all sorts of coats on all sorts of dogs every single day. I have also recommended the use of a coat to clients on several occasions, and will continue to do so where appropriate. There are plenty of dogs that I walk and know who are perfectly fine without any sort of coat, however, and by no means do I go around consistently advocating for coats for all to everyone I meet. As I stated at the top of this post, I think that this is something to consider on an individual, case-by-case basis.
If you’re wondering about getting a coat for your dog, consider why - are they very old or young? Do they have a thinner coat or less body fat? Are they a very small breed? Are they originally from a warmer country and struggling to adapt? Are they reluctant to go outdoors in colder or wetter conditions, and visibly uncomfortable while out in the cold or rain? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then a coat could certainly be beneficial, providing it’s comfortably sized, not restrictive, and made from an appropriate material for its purpose. You can also consider the original purpose of your dog’s breed (what job were they created to do?) and whether or not they are still living in a similar way, with a similar level of activity. Another key point is that of origin - dogs bred for polar climates, for example, don’t need coats in winter as they already have the perfect in-built coat for this type of weather.
All-in-all, I’m pleased to see more options for coats of different types for all sorts of dogs. I think it can be easy to judge from afar, but in reality there are so many reasons why a dog might need to wear a coat of any kind, and it’s important to recognise that although it may not be the right choice for your dog, it certainly can be for many others.
3 different types of dog all wearing different warm coats in -4 degree weather! From L to R - Link the Lab wearing an Equafleece Dog Suit, Rocco the Cockapoo wearing an Equafleece T-Shirt Suit, and Regan the Greyhound wearing an unbranded Polar Fleece Tankie Suit.
If you’re looking for coats, all-over suits, and further options, my personal recommendation has to be Equafleece. They’re a UK-based company making high-quality coats for dogs of all shapes and sizes covering a range of options. There are plenty of images throughout this post, and you can see tons more across their social media pages - every day they share posts to their story on instagram from customers, for example, and there are literally hundreds to look at! Check out their website for more information here: Equafleece Website